THE FALKLAND ISLANDS (Hansard, 27 January 1976)

Baroness VICKERS
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ The MINISTER of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts)
My Lords, Her Majesty's Government's policy remains that there shall be no change in British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands against the wishes of the islanders. But Her Majesty's Government believe, as did their predecessors, that the long-term interests of the islanders will be served best by close and friendly links with Argentina.

Baroness VICKERS
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his reply; I am grateful for what he said. May I ask whether the airport at Cape Pembroke has been finished? I gather that the Government were giving £1.4 million towards this. If it has been finished, why is it necessary for the Argentinians to strengthen their temporary airport?

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, the new airfield should be ready in July. Of course, there may be a proving time after that. The subvention was £4.2 million from the British Government to the Falkland Islands Government who will own and operate the new airfield. In the meantime, by arrangement with the Argentinians, an airstrip, which is now to be extended to take rather larger aircraft, has been in use. The use of that airstrip —as we call it—has been without incident and has proved to be of benefit to the Falkland Islanders.

§ Lord LEE of NEWTON
My Lords, will my noble friend make sure that nobody in the Foreign Office takes too much notice of the spurious arguments from the Committee of Twenty-four, or weakens to the point of suggestion—as once happened to Gibraltar—that we go to the International Court for a decision?

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, we shall of course continue to take notice of all the official committees of the United Nations, but I hope we shall emulate the spirit and content of my noble friend's question. There are a number of resolutions to which we must have regard in this connection. There is Resolution 2065 which enjoins upon the Argentine and this country the duty of negotiating for continuing friendly talks with a view to solving this difficult question. There is also Resolution 1514 which enshrines the principle of self-determination.

§ Viscount THURSO
My Lords, do Her Majesty's Government have a policy for the development of these very much underdeveloped islands, or does any policy which Her Majesty's Government intend to pursue depend solely upon the report of the noble Lord, Lord Shackleton?

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, prior to our inviting my noble 727 friend to undertake the leadership of the survey team—which is now approaching the end of its inquries in this area—successive Governments have urged on the Argentines the need for co-operative efforts in this field; the need for inquiry leading to constructive co-operation. We have continued to press for this, and we have hopes that my noble friend's report —which he will make when he returns to this country in, I imagine, the middle of next month—may prove a new base from which to launch yet another appeal to the Argentines, who are old and valued friends of this country, to join with us in common exploration and, possibly, exploitation of these waters.

§ Lord MERRIVALE
My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether I am right in assuming that, in effect, at the moment there is a landing strip which serves for flights between the Argentine and the Falkland Islands? Did the Minister say that the airfield would be completed in July of this year? If that is so, to what purpose will it be put? In other words, will the airfield serve further destinations other than those in the Argentine?

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, the new airfield should be operational in July, but, as I said, it will need a certain further period for proving. It will take substantial aircraft with a range beyond the Northern borders of the Argentine. In the meantime, the airstrip will continue, we hope, to serve the mutual benefit of the Falkland Islands and the Argentine.

§ Viscount THURSO
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that my question had absolutely nothing to do with the Argentine or any policy which the Argentine may or may not have towards the Falkland Islands? Is he aware that I asked him whether Her Majesty's Government have in the past or have now a policy for the development of these very undeveloped islands? This means a policy for the development of the agriculture, fisheries or anything else which may improve the way of life of the people of these islands.

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
Yes, indeed, my Lords; however, before one can have a policy in the sense of a programme it is necessary to explore the feasibilities. For some time now there 728 have been inquiries addressed to the possibility of deposits of oil in the area. A number of people have drawn expert attention to the possibility of further developing fisheries in the area, including krill, which is a kind of shrimp. This kind of inquiry has been proceeding for a long time. There are a number of extant reports—by no means conclusive—which are being studied at the most expert level. In conjunction with those reports, the report of my noble friend Lord Shackleton, when he returns from the Falkland Islands, should provide us with a new base from which to move forward. I brought in the Argentines for the necessary reason that it seems clear to everybody concerned—not only in this country —that the effective economic exploitation of these waters in this area cannot be undertaken without the full co-operation of the Argentines.

§ Viscount THURSO
My Lords, is it therefore fair of me to interpret the noble Lord's answer in this way: successive Governments have not had—and this Government do not have—any policy whatever for the development of the Falkland Islands?

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, I can do no better than ask noble Lords to study the questions already asked and answers already given.

Viscount ST. DAVIDS
My Lords, to give these Islanders some confidence, would the noble Lord answer a question which I put on this subject to one of his predecessors? I asked whether the Government would take great care not to follow the example of a previous Government—a non-Labour Government—which handed over the Los Islands to a foreign Government against a petition of the Islanders.

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, once more I would draw my noble friend's attention to the firm and clear terms of my substantive Answer to the Question of the noble Baroness.